Fairfax County Weekender

Saturday, March
17: Erin Go Bragh!

Give a “tip o’ the hat” to the Irish for being one of the
top consumers of tea per capita in the world with a special
St. Patrick's Day Tea. Taste and discuss the teas used
in Irish breakfast blends along with some special green teas
in honor of the Emerald Isle! Participants 13 and above are
welcome. 1 to 3 p.m. Forestville
Schoolhouse. $15/person. Advance registration and
prepayment required. For information and to register
call 703-759-2771.

Also on Saturday:

Workhouse Film: Tom Teasley &
Metropolis: Percussionist Tom Teasley performs
original live music accompaniment to scenes from Fritz Lang's
classic "Metropolis." Teasley maintains a unique
career as a solo percussionist, composer and collaborator.
"Metropolis," a 1927 German expressionist science
fiction film is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and
follows the attempts of Freder, the son of a wealthy
intellectual, and Maria, a worker’s daughter, to overcome the
vast gulf separating their two classes. Advance ticket
reservations recommended. 7:30 p.m. (doors open for
seating 30 minutes prior.) Workhouse Arts Center. $20/person
($15/students, seniors, military.) For information call
703-495-0001.

Watershed
Cleanup Day: Be part of the Potomac Watershed
Cleanup. Individuals, students, families, scouts and other
community groups can help clear the earth’s arteries by
collecting tires, bedsprings, bottles, cans and other debris
at local parks. Give the waterways in your community a clean
bill of health and earn the gratitude of your furred,
feathered and scaled neighbors. Wear boots and old clothes
and bring gloves. Trash bags and appreciation are provided.
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. More information is available online.

Ballroom Social Dance:
Dancing, food and fun! Led by an instructor (with a
pre-dance mini-lesson available, $5/person). Complimentary
refreshments and cash bar available. All skill levels
welcome. Dress is casual. Doors open at 7 p.m., mini-lesson
from 7:30 to 8 p.m. and open dance from 8 to 10:30 p.m.
Workhouse Arts Center. $10/person. Tickets available online.
For information call 703-495-0001.

Sunday, March
18: Everything's Coming Up Roses

Jane Austen set her novels in the natural beauty of the
English countryside when England was becoming a nation of
gardeners. Explore the Regency-era gardens and landscapes
depicted in Austen’s novels and learn about her own passion
for gardening during Jane Austen's English Country
Garden. 1 to 3 p.m. Historic
Green Spring. $27/person. For reservations or more
information call 703-941-7987.

Also on Sunday:

Spring
Ephemerals: Take a tour of the Potomac Valley
Native Plant Collection at Meadowlark and see the first,
delicate plants of spring. 2 p.m. Meadowlark Botanical
Gardens. Free. For information or reservations (requested)
call 703-255-3631.

The Revenge of the Space Pandas (or Binky
Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock): In this
comedy for young people by David Mamet, Binky Rudich's latest
invention, the two-speed clock, sends him, his friend Viv and
their sheep Bob hurling into space. They land on a planet
ruled by pandas deep within the Goolagong system. Making
their way through a maze of interesting characters, these
three friends try to find their way home. 3 p.m. (Also March
17, 24 and 25.) McLean Community Center's Alden Theatre.
$10/person. ($8/McLean Community Center district
residents.) For information call 703-790-0123.

Mill Run Dulcimer Band: Welcome the band back for the
first toe-tappin’ concert of the season. 2 to 4 p.m. Colvin Run
Mill Historic Site. Free. For information call
703-759-2771.

Information was correct at time of publication.
Please contact individual event sites to confirm
programs are being held as scheduled.

The Fairfax County Weekender highlights a selection of
county events taking place each weekend. Many more events
and activities can be found at the Parks and
Library
pages, and elsewhere on the Fairfax County website.
Additionally, the towns of Herndon and Vienna as well as the
city of Falls
Church offer many arts, entertainment and
recreational opportunities.